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As women we are very connected to our bodies which means when one thing is a bit off, we know immediately. This is one reason why as women, we tend to get worried when a certain part of our body doesn’t feel right. That is why when women are going to start their menstrual cycle or become pregnant we can feel our hormones and our body reacting differently than most days. One thing in particular that we tend to become frightened about is having sore tender breasts. We immediately begin to think the of the worst cases when in actuality, our body may just be responding to something that is very normal. There are several scenarios and reasons for sore breasts which we want to help make you aware of. You should be aware that there are many reasons for breast soreness other than pregnancy.
Why do my boobs ache?
Most women aren’t aware that sore breasts can come from situations that may seem simple such as stress, lack of proper nutrition, hormones and simply wearing the wrong size bra. The list of reasons for sore breasts is a long one being that this can happen for a number of reasons:
- Any physical activity that is too heavy on your chest or pectoral muscles
- Your breasts are growing
- Gaining weight or being overweight
- Previous surgeries
- Medications including birth control
- Cysts in your breasts
- Stress
- Overconsumption of sugars, caffeine or an unhealthy diet
- Menopause
- Wearing the wrong bra
- You’re on your period
- Hormones
- Your breasts are growing
- Deficient in iron
- Sodium levels are too high
There are other reasons for breast tenderness that is a possibility, but with great research, these are the most common causes.
What causes sore boobs?
- Your diet could be causing you breast pain
Your breasts may be sensitive to coffee, caffeine, sugars, and salty foods. Many causes of sore breasts stem from an unhealthy diet and lifestyle. As you are dealing with the pain that your breasts are giving you, you may not even realize that you are causing this pain to yourself. The more salt that you eat, the higher your water retention levels are which leads to breast pain and swelling. It comes down to the same thing with caffeine, limiting your daily caffeine intake will benefit you and your breasts in the long run.
2. You are hitting menopause
If you are just peaking into menopause then you may begin to notice many changes within your body and tender painful breasts may be at the top of your list! As if you didn’t have it hard enough, right? During menopause, there is a thickening and widening in your milk ducts which in other words is called ectasia. So if you’re wondering “why do my boobs ache all of a sudden” this may be your answer. Although this may sound scary, the pain in your breasts will usually fade away if it is due to menopause.
3. Your period is the reason your breasts are sore
This is an obvious one, but your period is the number one cause of what causes sore breasts. The days leading up to your menstrual cycle your hormones are going through a lot of changes which is causing your estrogen levels to increase. Having tender boobs is a normal and regular thing that your breasts will go through during your menstrual cycle. During this time that you are experiencing extremely sore breasts, you will notice that your chest is more swollen than usual. This is why most women will say that their breast size seems larger during their period because this is due to swollen breasts. Since your estrogen and progesterone levels are causing your milk glands and ducts to increase your breasts will retain more water causing swollen and sore breasts. During this time you should avoid caffeine and limit your salt intake as much as possible. Luckily there are many ways you can avoid menstrual pain before you get your period.
4. You are lifting too heavy
If you are a woman who is into heavy lifting, you may come across sore breasts more often than usual. Be sure that if you are a heavy gym-goer that you should be stretching properly before performing any heavy physical activity. Don’t be alarmed as breast soreness from exercise is extremely common and happens to about 25% of women According to the British Journal of Sports Medicine. If you are a woman who strength trains, you don’t need to stop working out but rather look into wearing a good supportive sports bra. It should be snug enough to not feel your breasts moving around, but loose enough to not suffocate your breasts. As your body gets comfortable with the routine of these workouts the pain should slowly disappear.
5. You are suffering from iron deficiency 
Most women aren’t even aware that they are deficient in iron and this is what causes sore breasts. Iron deficiency is one of the most common nutritional deficiencies out there due to most people being unaware that they are even lacking iron. This is one of the major reasons for tender sore breasts. Researchers have found that adding iodine supplements to your diet can help cure any breast pain you may be suffering from. If the problem of your sore breasts still persists after adding iron into your diet you should seek medical attention. Be cautious that taking additional medication could trigger breast pain as well.
6. You had breast implant surgery or other chest surgeries
If you’ve ever had any previous surgeries that have to do with your breasts then it is very likely that breast pain will come along with this. Whether you had a breast augmentation, reduction, correct or any other relatable breast surgery the chances of experiencing sore tender breasts is probable. You may notice that when you breathe it may be a bit more difficult and this is one of the causes of sore breasts being that you use your chest walls to breathe. If you had breast implants then it is possible that the thickening of your breast tissue is one of the main reasons for breast tenderness. Usually, this pain will subside in time, but if it persists longer than 6 months you may want to speak with your surgeon.
What should I do if I am suffering from one of these causes of sore breasts?
If you are affected by any of these reasons for sore breasts then you shouldn’t panic unless the problem persists for anywhere longer than six months to a year. Most of the time these situations can be taken into your own control by either limiting caffeine, leading a healthier lifestyle by your choices in diet and exercise, taking the proper supplements and controlling your stress. You can start by making minor changes and see if you are still experiencing tender boobs. More than likely once you start to make specific lifestyle changes any uncomfortable feelings you have happening in your body will take care of itself.
